IDENTITY THIEVES TARGETING THOSE WHO SERVED. IT MADE HARD TIMES HARDER FOR ONE LOCAL MAN. IT'S A LOCAL VETERAN, HAD HIS IDENTITY STOLEN FROM A PLACE HE TRUSTED. Ruth: THE VETERANS HOSPITAL HERE IN DETROIT. ROGER WEBER TELLS YOU WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. Roger: HE WAS BRIEFLY A MARINE, INJURED IN BOOT CAMP. 40 YEARS LATER, HIS CANE IS A GOLF CLUB. WITH ONE END COATED IN RUBBER. HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE V.A. THIS IDENTITY THEFT INCLUDED YOUR NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. Roger: HIS IDENTITY WAS STOLEN AT THE JOHN DINGELL MEDICAL CENTER IN DETROIT AND GOT THE FIRST RED FLAG MONTHS AGO WHEN HE TRIED TO FILE FOR A SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY. THEY SAID I WORKED AND FILED AN INCOME TAX RETURN FOR $18,000. Roger: THE RECORD SHOWED HE OWNED A BARBERSHOP. I WAS DUMBFOUNDED, WHAT? I HAVEN'T WORKD IN YEARS. AN IRS GAVE HIM LIMIT INFORMATION. HE SAID THE INDIVIDUAL IS IN PEORIA, ILLINOIS, AWAITING TRIAL AND HAS OWNED UP TO THIS. Roger: WE CANNOT CONFIRM IF HE'S THE ONLY PERSON VICTIMIZED AT THE V.A. HOSPITAL. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE OTHER VETS WHO THE V.A. CANNOT CONTACT. THEY MAYBE HOMELESS. THE INCOME ENABLED HIM TO RENT HIS OWN PLACE IN DETROIT. IT'S NO PALACE BUT BEATS WHERE HE USED TO LIVE, A HOMELESS SHELTER. Roger: A SPOKESPERSON CALLS THIS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. FOR THAT REASON AND PRIVACY CONCERNS, THE V.A. WON'T DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED. PAUL SAYS HE'S NOT WORRIED ABOUT HIS PRIVACY. HE JUST WANTS AN EXPLANATION OF HOW THIS HAPPENED TO HIM.

Comments

The views expressed below are not those of Click On Detroit, WDIV, or its affiliated companies. By clicking on "Post," you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service and your comment is in compliance with such terms. Readers, please help keep this discussion respectful and on topic by flagging comments that are offensive or inappropriate (hover over the commenter's name and you'll see the flag option appear on right side of that line). And remember, respect goes both ways: Tolerance of others' opinions is important in a free discourse. If you're easily offended by strong opinions, you might skip reading comments entirely.